The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-04-13

pated. Shipments, in the aggregate enor-
nous, for distribution beyond Chicago have
to be rebilled there. The merchants and
manufacturers find rates raised from thirty
to fifty per cent on many distinct shipments.
Pacific lines complain that transcontinental
traffic is rendered impossible unless they
are exempted. An association of twenty
seven southern roads and lines has already
obtained temporary exemption, because of
consequent interruption Of traffic North
ern lines competing with lake or Canadian
transporters claim equal needs, and the in
terror roads cite large shipments of flour
down the Mississippi because through rail
rates are raised Coal rates increase the
cost of fuel 81 per ton about Philadelphia.
Changes in iron freghts disturb trade and
may close some furnaces. These are but a
few of the difficulties which the copmission
is expected to examine and in some way to
remedy, but the question is how far it is
able to do So"
THE general opinion among railroad Off
Gals at Philadelphia is that the action of
the interstate commerce commission in the
long and short-haul question concerning the
southern railroads will crush the entire
measure. There is not a railroad of any
consequence in the entire country, said one
prominent railroad executive officer, that
will not make the same claim as that con-
tended for by the southern lines, and the
Justice of their claim cannot fail to be reCog-
niZed The commissioners array against
them every railroad that has directly or re-
motley water route as competitor, and,
further than this, they have taken such a
position as will unsettle the commercial af-
fairs of the country for three months or
more. The commissioners say, however,
that the law has only been suspended in
certain cases to permit inquiry, and that
their action was right and just.
AMONG those most distressed by the APP
plication of the law are the large theatrical
companies and the circuses. These con-
Germs have received special rates for many
years, which are hereafter to be cut off.
The expenses of travelling companies will
be considerably increased, and the result
will be deterioration in the amusements
offered by such companies. Choruses and
orchestras will be reduced in numbers, and
as scenery is to be charged at baggage rates
it will be reduced to the minimum. The
large circuses, like Barnum's, owning their
own cars, will not suffer as much from the
law as the smaller companies, but all the
circuses. it is reported have formed pool
and retained ex-senator Allen G.. Thurman
to defend their interests against the opera
tons of the law Albdny Journal
THE Massachusetts railroads have come
to an agreement in the matter of free passes
which is very singular one indeed. II
provides that passes may be issued to state
officials, members of the senate and house,
members of the police, mayors and marshals
of cities, proprietors of mountain hotels in
New Hampshire, managers of camp-meet-
ings and clergymen attending the same, and
to families of railroad officials of other
roads, but no passes shall be granted to the
newspaper press The exclusion of news
papers from this privilege is not so remark
able on the whole, as the inclusions on
the list.
WALTER BURLEIGH, a local wool-buyer of
Franklin, n. H., has been informed by deal
ers in Boston that the new freight tariff
which the interstate law imposes is creating
so much uncertainty among manufacturers
that they are undecided as to what to do in
regard to purchasing wool. A Dover gen.
tleman says that the Sawyer Wooden Manu-
featuring Company of that city cannot get
wool from California to Dover by rail for
less than S5.25 hundred, while the former
rate was sixty-eight cents a hundred. This,
of course, will prove a virtual prohibition
upon the bringing of California wool to
Dover.
A MOVE is on foot to send on from Chicago
protest of leading merchants and shippers
against the action of the interstate commits
sion in suspending the operation of the long
and short-haul clause at various points
The special grievance there is the suspen-
sion affecting the route across the lake from
Milwaukee.